Writing Objectives

There are various ways of writing objectives. Besides referring to themes, you might also classify according to educational domains. The three groups of domains identified by educational psychologist, Benjamin Bloom are commonly used to group objectives and learning outcomes. These are:

Levels of Objectives Writing

Within each Domain there are several levels you may wish to specify in your objectives writing. This will depend upon the extent of detail that is required in the curriculum and what you know about the learning style and readiness of the students.

In each Domain, Bloom identified several levels, each with a list of suitable verbs for describing that level in written objectives. The following table describes the cognitive domain, and levels are arranged from the least complex levels of thinking to the most complex levels of thinking.

COGNITIVE DOMAIN

(Source: Bloom, B., Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, 1956)

Level and Meaning

Use these words in written objectives to describe the associated cognitive level:

Knowledge: The remembering of previously learned material (recall of facts)

A variety of cognitive levels should be represented in the objectives.

Some objectives should deal with facts, some with concepts and some with the application of the information. Assuming that the objectives are well written, this will also lead to exam questions that address a variety of cognitive levels. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Levels for grouping objectives, the following provides some examples of how you might use these for assessment purposes:

Knowledge – Can students RECALL information?

Who, What, Where, When, How

Which one

How much

Name

Describe

Label

Define

List

Memorise

Reproduce

Literal questions

Recall

Comprehension – Can students EXPLAIN ideas?

Explain

What are they saying

Describe in your own words

Explain what is happening

Inferential questions

Give an example

Summarise

State in 5 words

What would go better

Explain what is meant

Select the definition

What restriction would you add

Read the graph table

Translate

This represents

Outline

Condense this paragraph

Locate

What part doesn’t fit

Match

Application – Can students USE ideas?

What is this used for?

How would you use

Make a model

Tell what would happen

If…how

Demonstrate how

Construct how

Show how

How much would there be if…

Design a lesson

Choose the statements that don’t apply

Analysis – Do students SEE relationships?

Whole into parts

Analyse, Research, Survey

Group, Categorise, Compare and Contrast

What inconsistencies, fallacies

Arrange

What is the relationship

Chart

What is the function of

Diagram

What conclusions

Reason for…

What does the author believe

Investigate

Make a distinction

Cause for

What motive is there

Conclude

State the point of view

Separate

What relationship

Similar

Graph

Like

Differentiate

Dissect

Categorize

Distinguish fact from fiction, fact and inference, fact from opinion, advantage from disadvantage, good from poor reason

Stating Objectives clearly

In order for objectives to provide a useful basis for creating test questions, they must contain verbs that describe observable, measurable, achievable actions and specific levels of thinking, because these are things that can be tested. The words in the left of the table below are difficult to assess, to recognise whether the objective has been achieved.

Hint: Avoid using verbs that represent actions or concepts that are difficult to measure such as appreciate, be familiar with, believe, comprehend, enjoy, know, learn, master and understand

Avoid words like…..

Use words like…..

Know

List

Understand

Describe, explain

Be familiar with

Evaluate

Appreciate

Identify

Be aware of

Design

Have a good grasp of

Explain

Have a knowledge of

Select

Realise the significance of

Distinguish

Believe

Construct

Be interested in

Solve

Steps in writing objectives

Identify professional attributes of ideal graduating students (eg refer to professional bodies, Australian Medical Council Guidelines). Graduate attributes are used to decide appropriate learning outcomes for the course

Assign priority to learning levels (knowledge, skills, attitudes).
The knowledge domain for Medicine should be complete and comprehensive,(as is presented in the Medical Core Skills list) This means that knowledge content and skills content need to be carefully detailed.

Group projects where the group process and group outcomes are assessed (using criteria against which the group can assess itself and determine future, more effective ways of functioning)

Peer tutoring

Assessing research skills

Research assignment that is professionally relevant (and where students are assisted to develop the requisite skills)

Develop a database on a particular area

Literature review

Writing an annotated bibliography

Research paper

Case based article

Hint: Testing experts recommend covering each objective with more than one assessment tool

As you can see, some assessment methods can be used to assess more than one objective in the same activity.

Some assessment methods can also cover more than one level of learning at the same time, depending upon how well the objective or learning outcome has been written.

The following grid shows how you might plan a Biology exam to include questions at the various cognitive levels. Exam content is then chosen to match the level.

Content area

Recall / RecognitionNo of questions at this level

Skills Comprehension ApplicationNo of questions at this level

Critical Thinking Problem SolvingNo of questions at this level

Total Allocation of marksNo of questions at this level

Biochemistry

3

12

0

15

Cells/Tissues

4

13

3

20

Genetics Reproduction

2

10

3

15

Invertebrates

4

6

0

10

Vertebrates

5

11

4

20

Plant life

2

6

2

10

Ecological

0

7

3

10

Total

20

65

15

100

You can also write multiple choice questions (MCQs) which measure at the various cognitive learning levels, such as in the following Biology example

Knowledge
Which of the following are raw materials or photosynthesis?

Water, heat, sunlight

Carbon dioxide, sunlight oxygen

Water, carbon dioxide, sunlight

Sunlight, oxygen, carbohydrates

Water, carbon dioxide, carbohydrates

Comprehension
If living cells similar to those found on earth were found on another planet where there was no molecular oxygen, which cell part would most likely be absent?

Cell membrane

Nucleus

Mitochondria

Ribosome

Chromosomes

Application
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive condition. About one in every fifty Individuals is heterozygous for the gene but shows no symptoms of the disorder. If you select a symptom-free male and a symptom –free female at random, what is the probability that they would have a child afflicted with PKU?

(.02)(.02)(.25) = 0.0001 = 0.01%, or about 1/10,000

(.02)(.02) = 0.0004 = 0.04%, or about 1/2,500

(1)(50)(0) = 100% = all

(1)(50)(0) = 0 = none

1/50 = 2%, or 2/100

Analysis
Mitochondria are called the powerhouses of the cell because they make energy available for cellular metabolism. Which of the following observations is most cogent in supporting this concept of mitochondrial function?

ATP occurs in the mitochondria

Mitochondria have a double membrane

The enzymes of the Krebs cycle, and molecules required for terminal respiration, are found n mitochondria

Mitochondria are found in almost all kinds of plant and animal cells

Mitochondria abound in muscle tissue

Evaluation
Disregarding the relative feasibility of the following procedures, which of these lines of research is likely to provide us with the most valid and direct evidence as to revolutionary relations among different species?